Fsf-friends October 2004

fsf-friends@gnu.org.in

34 participants
51 discussions

Re: [Fsf-friends] [Fwd: Re: [TwinCLinG] Re: Sample survey on Open Source Software, meeting etc.]
by Dileep M. Kumar 26 Oct '04

26 Oct '04

Joe Steeve wrote: > However, I have a irky feeling about this entire DotNET and how M$ > is making M$As to make it popular in academic institutions. These MS is paying these Student Ambassadors for their activities. Regards -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dileep M. Kumar || dileep AT kumarayil DOT net || www.kumarayil.net Our future depends on our philosophy - Richard M Stallman -------------------------------------------------------------------

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Fighting FUD Agents with Facts
by Ramanraj K 26 Oct '04

26 Oct '04

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: RE.Serious investigations into UNIX and Windows Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 22:27:10 -0600 From: Jon Drews <jon.drews(a)gmail.com> Reply-To: Jon Drews <jon.drews(a)gmail.com> To: estover(a)olc.edu CC: freebsd-advocacy(a)freebsd.org References: <1098590132.32627.20.camel@red> More information here Ed and others. I actually came across the Microsoft site that offered gcc for it's UNIX tools. I couldn't believe it when I saw it: Microsoft uses open source, despite critical stance http://iwsun4.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/01/06/27/010627hnmsfree.html By Matt Berger June 27, 2001 12:10 pm PT DESPITE MICROSOFT'S AGGRESSIVE criticism of the open-source movement -- most notably one of its flagship software licences, the GNU General Public License -- the company has quietly been publishing source code under that license for one of its own products for the past two years... ...Microsoft distributes a product called Interix, which is used by customers to port Unix applications to its Windows operating systems. Interix includes a software compiler called the GCC (GNU Compiler Collection), a product first developed by Free Software Foundation founder Richard Stallman that is covered by the General Public License (GPL). -------------------------- Here is the actual site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sfu/productinfo/overview/default.asp EXCERPT: UNIX on Windows The Interix subsystem technology provides a universal environment that can run both Windows and UNIX applications on a single system. Through Interix, you can reduce development time while making use of existing employee skill sets. <snip> Windows Services for UNIX 3.5 also includes more than 300 UNIX utilities and tools that behave as they would on UNIX systems, plus a software development kit (SDK) that supports more than 1,900 UNIX APIs and migration tools, including make, rcs, yacc, lex, cc, c89, nm, strip, gbd, as well as the gcc, g++, and g77 compilers. On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 21:55:32 -0600, Ed Stover <estover(a)olc.edu> wrote: > The person i'm trying > to convince is a hardcore MS fan so i need real evidence of why BSD is > better than MS products in server environments. So if FreeBSD and Open Source are unworthy replacements for Windows how come all these tools are being sold by them? _______________________________________________ freebsd-advocacy(a)freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-advocacy To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-advocacy-unsubscribe(a)freebsd.org"

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IT2004 Kochi
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 25 Oct '04

25 Oct '04

Just noticed a large ad for the IT2004Kochi event (18-21 Nov, 2004 at Town Hall, Ernakulam). Was curious: are the local LUGs having some presence there? Do you find it useful to have a presence at local IT exhibitions? We in Goa do try this sometimes. FN ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frederick Noronha (FN) Nr Convent Saligao 403511 GoaIndia Freelance Journalist P: 832-2409490 M: 9822122436 http://www.livejournal.com/users/goalinks http://fn.swiki.net http://www.ryze.com/go/fredericknoronha http://fn-floss.notlong.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Difficulties to send email across? Write to fredericknoronha at vsnl.net ============================================================================

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What is the list ID?
by Mahesh T. Pai 25 Oct '04

25 Oct '04

All posts to this list contain this footer. > Fsf-friends mailing list > Fsf-friends ( at ) mm.gnu.org.in > http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends But, Dileep's post sent his post from the hyd lug to fsf-friends (at ) gnu.org.in. And somebody else had put both mm.gnu.org.in and gnu.org.in addresses some days back. So, what is the real list post-to address? @ mm.gnu.org or @ gnu.org.in? -- Mahesh T. Pai <<>> http://paivakil.port5.com DICTIONARY, n. A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic.

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[Fsf-friends] [twnfeatures] CALL TO REFORM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SYSTEM (fwd)
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 25 Oct '04

25 Oct '04

---------- Forwarded message ---------- CALL TO REFORM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SYSTEM At a recent conference on the Future of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in Geneva, the system of patents, copyright and other intellectual property rights came under public attack for benefiting a minority at the expense of the majority. By Martin Khor Third World Network Features The system of patents, copyright and other intellectual property rights is coming under public attack, including from famous scientists and well-known law professors, who say that this system has gone too far in benefiting a few people at the expense of the majority. The critics are concerned and even angry that patents and copyright are given (mainly to companies in developed countries) too freely and on terms that unfairly penalise consumers, researchers and small producers. The wide range of criticisms emerged at a conference on the Future of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) organised by the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue in Geneva in September. Among the problems raised were that the intellectual property rights (IPR) system is hampering the free flow of information, raising the cost of computer software, hampering scientists from advancing research, reducing the public's access to information and raising the cost of medicines. Among the participants were Sir John Suston, Nobel Prize winner and leader of the Cambridge-based scientific team that uncovered the human genome; Richard Stallman, a pioneer of the free software movement (which led among other things to the Linux operating system); and many academic professors specialising in IPR law. Suston expressed concern that databases containing scientific information are increasingly placed under copyright, making it difficult and costly for researchers to have access, and thus impeding research. He advocates that scientific data be placed in public databases which researchers can freely use. When he completed his work on mapping the human genome, Suston's team quickly published the results in a scientific journal, making it available to all. 'We put the details on a public database so everyone can have access and do their own research,' he said. He spoke against the present practice of patenting of genes, which is an abuse of the patent system as the gene sequences are discoveries and not inventions. He described the attempt by European governments to tighten copyright on databases as 'absolutely retrograde'. 'We need ways to tame the market, and conduct research in ways that are not purely market driven,' he said. 'We need to restore trust, because I am afraid the human race will not survive if we don't restore trust between the scientists and science.' Stallman, who is president of the Free Software Foundation, said that IPRs were a restriction on the public's access to information and essential goods, and should not be termed as 'rights'. 'Patents granted for software only benefit very few, who are given the chance to sue, whilst the rest are threatened with potential suits,' he said. 'There are negative effects for software developers and computer users.' Librarians, scholars and students are also worried that higher copyright regulations are preventing access to information. Jukka Liedes of the Finland Education Ministry, who is in charge of the country's library system and access to information policy, said that in the past it was considered that 'the less there was IP or copyright, the better.' However, at present consumers are constrained by copyright terms and access to information has become a concern, he said. The copyright system has effects on cultural diversity, cultural expressions and on the promotion of creativity. For Volker Grassmuch of Humboldt University in Berlin, the digital revolution (sparked by the personal computer and the Internet) had made information, editing and copying available to many. However, there was now a 'digital counter-revolution', through restrictions placed on computer users, for instance on what they are allowed to download. Moreover, he said, copyright law mainly benefits not the authors or musicians but the major industry owners. The consumers and small producers pay the price. Several speakers stressed that they were not against intellectual property per se, but that there should be a balance between the monopoly privileges given to the patent or copyright holders, and the rights and welfare of the public. Their concern was that the balance had tilted very much in favour of the IPR holders, which are able to jack up prices of their products, affecting consumers' access, whilst also preventing other producers from competing with them. Dr R Sothi, director of Consumers' International's Asian office (based in Kuala Lumpur), said a study of copyright laws in five Asian countries had shown that the IP system is making educational materials inaccessible to the poor as it raised the cost and prevented copying. A one-size-fits-all system is unsuitable to treat countries at different stages of development. The health organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres showed data on how medicines for AIDS patients had been maintained at high levels because of patents. It also exposed the fact that 97% of patents worldwide are held in the developed countries, whilst 80% of patents in the developing countries also belong to residents of the rich countries. Thus those who benefit from the IP system are overwhelmingly from the developed countries. The patent system in the United States is being distorted by recent practices, according to several American academics. Brian Kahin of the University of Michigan said the standards for granting patents had been lowered, so many more patents are being granted. He added that the range of products for which patents are granted has also expanded to include, for example, life forms, software and business methods. As a result, many patents that are given are of questionable validity. The seminar participants were worried that the US model, which is unsuitable even for Americans, is now being exported to the developing countries, where it is even more inappropriate and will cause more harm. They were referring firstly to the agreement on intellectual property in the World Trade Organisation, and secondly to the attempts by the developed countries to create new treaties in WIPO (such as the substantive patent law treaty and the broadcasters' rights treaty) that would 'harmonise' the developing countries' IPR laws with the laws of the US and other developed countries. 'This harmonisation attempt is immoral and the last insult to developing countries,' said Dr Graham Dutfield of Queen Mary's University in Britain. 'Japan would not have developed if it had these IPR laws, and the big companies of Europe could not have taken off if they were disallowed from copying technology. 'In the past the IP system allowed countries to catch up as it differentiated among countries, but now the harmonisation process will block developing countries from catching up.' Well-known American academic Prof. Jerome Reichmann said that the proposed new WIPO treaties 'would transmit a dysfunctional US system of intellectual property to the rest of the world. It is utterly unfeasible to do that, and it is completely wrong.' 'Why should the developing countries participate in a standard setting exercise which would be bad for them and also bad for the US and EU,' he added. 'How can any good come out of it and why should the developing countries accept it?' He called for a stop to such 'harmonisation' attempts, and this was supported by other participants. The seminar also discussed many ideas for reforming WIPO so that it would not, as now, only promote IPRs but be able to consider IPRs within the broader context of development. A declaration on the future of WIPO to that effect is under preparation. - Third World Network Features. -ends- About the writer: Martin Khor is Director of the Third World Network. When reproducing this feature, please credit Third World Network Features and (if applicable) the cooperating magazine or agency involved in the article, and give the byline. Please send us cuttings.

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[Fwd: Re: [TwinCLinG] Re: Sample survey on Open Source Software, meeting etc.]
by Dileep M. Kumar 25 Oct '04

25 Oct '04

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [TwinCLinG] Re: Sample survey on Open Source Software, meeting etc. Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 05:43:45 -0400 From: Binand Sethumadhavan <binand(a)gmail.com> Reply-To: ilughyd(a)yahoogroups.com To: ilughyd(a)yahoogroups.com References: <1098285160.902.93413.m12(a)yahoogroups.com> <38399.172.16.2.253.1098337868.squirrel(a)uohmail.uohyd.ernet.in> On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 11:21:08 +0530 (IST), Dr. Atul Negi <atulcs(a)uohyd.ernet.in> wrote: > (TOPIC 2) > A Microsoft person requests to speak with our LUG members at a meeting. > Do the list members agree to his speaking? I could take a poll on this > but hardly anybody responds to polls. So I am taking an informal go ahead > on this M$ person to speak to our LUG. Certainly he has to adhere to the > ground rules as pointed out by Suresh. > > If anybody has serious objections (that is they DONT want the Microsoft > person to speak) regarding this please let me know. I do like to point out that in a not-so-recent interview to one of the computer magazines in India (forgot which, might have been PCQuest or something), Microsoft India's some-big-shot mentioned (not in so many words) that part of their strategy in India is to "infiltrate" the LUGs and slowly brainwash these LUGs into being MUGs (Microsoft User Groups - pun intended :). Let us not be the first or only LUG to fall into that trap. Binand ----------------------------------------------- Next Meeting as on our Website: http://ilug-hyd.org.in -----------------------------------------------

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The Hindu News on LiTE
by Manilal 22 Oct '04

22 Oct '04

Today's Hindu in its Front page carry a coverage about LiTE Centres in Kerala. http://www.hindu.com/2004/10/22/stories/2004102209060700.htm regards Manilal

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Asia Source: Tech camp for the voluntary sector
by Frederick Noronha (FN) 21 Oct '04

21 Oct '04

------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Source: Tech camp for the voluntary sector ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangalore, India. January 28th to February 4th 2005. Asia Source hopes to bring together over 100 people from 20 countries to increase the use of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) amongst the voluntary sector in South and South East Asia. This week long event will bring together NGOs and NGO technology support professionals working at the grassroots level across the region to learn new skills, exchange tips, and share experiences. Together with regionally and globally renowned experts and specialists they will look at the use of FOSS within the non-profit sector from both an access and a content perspective. Offering participants the opportunity to explore the practical technical side of FOSS whilst providing a conceptual backdrop. Asia Source will be the first event of its kind in the region, bringing together regional non-profit professionals with a rights based focus, it will invite those from both the technical and content end of the spectrum to focus on the practical elements of FOSS deployment. Participants with a range of expertise will be provided with a space for intensive peer learning. They will be given the opportunity to develop their understanding of FOSS, learn how to select and apply alternative technologies, and be provided with the skills and tools to utilise this within the context of their daily work. They will also be encouraged to explore the challenges and the future potential of FOSS adoption within the social context. During this 'camp' style event, participants will take part in a range of sessions. From planning and helping an NGO to migrate to FOSS, to sharing tips and techniques on using FOSS tools for content development, advocacy and campaigning. In parallel to this they will look beneath user-level scenarios, and break-down tricky issues such as localisation techniques and how to develop total cost of ownership models. Four themes will flow throughout the event 1. 'FLOSSophy' for NGOs 2. Migration and Access 3. Tools for content and communication 4. Localisation Asia Source will be held in a small artists community on the outskirts of Bangalore. Its aim is to become a community building event, with the potential to seed connections and future partnerships across borders and between skillsets. The event is co-organised by Mahiti.org (Bangalore) and the Tactical Technology Collective (Amsterdam). The event is guided by an advisory board of established non-profit and FOSS professionals from across the South and South East Asian region. Asia Source belongs to a larger family of Source Events that seek to increase the viability of FOSS use by the non-profit sector. Other source events have taken place in South East Europe, Southern Africa and are planned in 2005 in Western Africa. For more information please visit http://www.tacticaltech.org/asiasource or http://www.mahiti.org/asiasource Applications will be announced and invited between October and November 2004. Participants will be selected by the advisory board based on their interest and experiences. There will be a small registration fee for the event. A limited number of travel and registration fee scholarships will be available and may be applied for on application. If you would like to receive an application form or have any questions please write to asiasource(a)tacticaltech.org. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks, ಸುನೀಲ್ -- Sunil Abraham, sunil(a)mahiti.org http://www.mahiti.org 314/1, 7th Cross, Domlur Bangalore - 560 071 Karnataka, INDIA Ph/Fax: +91 80 51150580. Mobile: +91 80 36701931 Currently on sabbatical with APDIP/UNDP Manager - International Open Source Network Wisma UN, Block C Komplex Pejabat Damansara. Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights. 50490 Kuala Lumpur. P. O. Box 12544, 50782, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: (60) 3-2091-5167, Fax: (60) 3-2095-2087 sunil(a)apdip.net http://www.iosn.net http://www.apdip.net

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[Fwd: Re: [Fsf-friends] Linux Technology Extension(LiTE) centre]
by Raj Shekhar 21 Oct '04

21 Oct '04

[Forwarding on behalf of OST @ C-DIT] -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Linux Technology Extension(LiTE) centre Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 10:57:45 +0530 From: OST @ C-DIT <ost(a)cdit.org> Reply-To: ost(a)cdit.org To: rajshekhar(a)hotpop.com CC: ostcdit(a)rediffmail.com References: <1098251044.2235.15.camel(a)localhost.localdomain> <41772CA1.4070107(a)hotpop.com> On Thu, 2004-10-21 at 08:57, Raj Shekhar wrote: > OST @ C-DIT wrote: > > Hai Friends, > > One of the strong criticisms against the free softwares is the lack > > of technological support for those choosing to adopt it. The Centre for > > Development of Imaging Technology, an autonomous centre under Govt of > > Kerala is coming up with a creative response to the criticism by > > establishing 100 Linux Technology Extension (LiTE) centres all over > > Kerala. > > [snip] > > These centres will > > initially provide installation, trouble shooting, and user training for > > Linux and Open Office. In the next phase they will also be equipped to > > give support for development of free software solutions. > > [snip] > > Things seem a bit odd here. The schools (both public and private) teach > Microsoft technologies and the government is planning to start Linux > support centers. Where will these centers find manpower to provide The staff of these centres will be given amble training in GNU/Linux technologies. > support ? Or will the old Indian "connection" (or jugaad .. if you > understand hindi) come into play for hiring? sorry, I am pretty weak in Hindi. > > Personally, I had a hard time finding good (or even average) PHP > programmers for my company. Most freshers had been taught ASP/JSP, > since that was "prescribed" in their college. Have you thought of this > part of the problem ? Personally, I think the schools should start > teaching perl/python instead of Basic. Colleges should start teaching > QT/wxPython for GUI design. However they cannot. Why ? Because they do There are persons who are very much expertised in the above fields. only problem is you have to find them. The Schools and Colleges will start teaching PHP, Qt, Python, etc.. only if the industry demands for such subjects. The Kannur University in Kerala is already conducting course in GNU/Linux and associated free software. The PG courses in this university is based on Free Software. But still the students in the first batch couldn't find good jobs in this field. > not have teachers. A bit of a chicken and egg problem. And opening > LiTE is certainly not going to help. We are very much optimistic > > Yes, I am a cynical about all things Indian government does. C-DIT is not an India Govt organization. It's a autonomous body under the Govt. of kerala. -- ,-.___,-. Raj Shekhar \_/_ _\_/ System Administrator, programmer and slacker )O_O( home : http://rajshekhar.net { (_) } blog : http://rajshekhar.net/blog/ `-^-' work : http://netphotograph.com

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[Fwd: Re: [Fsf-friends] Linux Technology Extension(LiTE) centre]
by Raj Shekhar 21 Oct '04

21 Oct '04

[forwarding on behalf of V. Sasi Kumar ] -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fsf-friends] Linux Technology Extension(LiTE) centre Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 10:09:17 +0530 From: V. Sasi Kumar <vsasi(a)hotpop.com> To: rajshekhar(a)hotpop.com References: <1098251044.2235.15.camel(a)localhost.localdomain> <41772CA1.4070107(a)hotpop.com> On Thu, 2004-10-21 at 08:57, Raj Shekhar wrote: > The schools (both public and private) teach > Microsoft technologies and the government is planning to start Linux > support centers. Where will these centers find manpower to provide > support ? Or will the old Indian "connection" (or jugaad .. if you > understand hindi) come into play for hiring? > > Personally, I had a hard time finding good (or even average) PHP > programmers for my company. Most freshers had been taught ASP/JSP, > since that was "prescribed" in their college. Have you thought of this > part of the problem ? Personally, I think the schools should start > teaching perl/python instead of Basic. Colleges should start teaching > QT/wxPython for GUI design. However they cannot. Why ? Because they do > not have teachers. A bit of a chicken and egg problem. And opening > LiTE is certainly not going to help. > > Yes, I am a cynical about all things Indian government does. On the other hand, one of the reasons cited for teaching proprietary technology is that employers need only that. If the student has to get some job after passing out, he needs to know MS Word, Pagemaker, AutoCAD, and whatever. So if the word goes around that there are a number of jobs waiting for people trained in free software, that is going to provide an incentive for people to go and study just that from wherever they can. Another positive side is that the IT@School programme is developing a GNU/Linux distribution of its own, which would include a lot of packages that are helpful for teachers and students. If proper information and training are given to the teaching community, I feel this should pretty soon become very popular here. -- V. Sasi Kumar <vsasi(a)hotpop.com> -- ,-.___,-. Raj Shekhar \_/_ _\_/ System Administrator, programmer and slacker )O_O( home : http://rajshekhar.net { (_) } blog : http://rajshekhar.net/blog/ `-^-' work : http://netphotograph.com

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Fsf-friends October 2004